Improvement in bustles



D. SMITH.

- Improvement in 'Bustles.

No. 133,062. Patented Nov.12,1872.

DEXTER SMITH, oE LITOHFIELD CORNER, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUSTLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,062, dated November 12, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, DEXTER SMITH, of Litchfield Corner, of the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bustles; and do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawing, of which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation or view of one of my improved bustles in an extended state,

and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of it.

In said drawing, A denotes an apron to go around the waist and hips of a person, it being provided with a waist-band, a. From the medial line of the apron two tapering clothtunnels or arches, B B, are sprung in opposite directions, as shown, they, at the extremities of their bases, being fixed to the apron, and each tunnel being composed of a sheet of cloth, I), and a series of bows, c c 0, of steel, whalebone, or other suitable elastic material, arranged as shown, the cloth being provided with pockets extending laterally through it to receive the bows. Each bow-pocket I form by sewing upon the bow and the piece of cloth b a band or tape, d.

Fig. 3 is avertical section of one of the tunnels, showing the bows and the bands d.

A good bustle of the kind maybe made without having the apron project beyond the arched tunnels, but when projecting beyond them on their flanks, as shown in the drawing, it serves when the bustle may be in wear to keep it in place to good advantage, and also enable a lady to hold it in place while she may be sitting, or in the act of sitting down upon a chair, or of rising therefrom. The apron so extended has other important advantages.

The bustle so constructed does not project from the middle of the back to the extent that it would were it to have one tunnel and series of bows thereof only arranged to span the apron at its middle. Furthermore, the bustle, made as described and represented, can readily be collapsed or pressed and folded together in a very convenient manner so as to admit of it taking up very little space in a trunk or wardrobe.

I claim as a new or improved manufacture and as my invention- 1. The bustle, substantially as described and shown, composed of the apron and the collapsible tunnels, constructed and arranged essentially in manner as set forth.

2. The bustle as composed of the collapsible tunnels, constructed and arranged substantially in manner as set forth.

\Vitnesses: DEXTER SMITH.

R. H. EDDY, J. R. SNOW. 

